A blog launched on the 41st anniversary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), the first pro-life organisation in the world, established on 11 January 1967. SPUC has been a leader in the educational and political battle against abortion, human embryo experimentation and euthanasia since then. I write this blog in my role as SPUC's chief executive, commenting on pro-life news, reflecting on pro-life issues and promoting SPUC's work.

Thursday, 19 December 2013

Civil service dedicated to implementing same-sex marriage

Chris Bryant, the leading homosexual Member of Parliament, asked recently the following question of the government:

"To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many officials in her Department are working on allowing same-sex couples to convert their civil partnerships to marriages."

Helen Grant, the responsible minister, answered:

"DCMS has approximately nine full-time equivalent policy and legal staff working on implementing the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013. The new procedures and processes required specifically for the conversion of civil partnerships into marriages are the responsibility of a number of other Departments."

This is the power of the British state at work destroying marriage and the family now that the same-sex marriage legislation has been passed by Parliament.

Rather than become despondent, however, it is a call to us to give witness to the truth about marriage. In particular, we must defend children in schools, who will be subjected to brainwashing, distortions, and political correctness. We must ensure that children receive the truth about marriage and sexuality. In this connection, readers are encouraged to apply for SPUC's question-and-answer paper on same-sex marriage and homosexuality in schools - please email me at johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk

John Smeaton

About Me

I became involved in SPUC after graduating, when I established a branch in south London in 1974. I have worked full-time for SPUC for 39 years. I became chief executive of SPUC in the UK in 1996, having been general secretary since 1978. I was elected vice-president of International Right to Life Federation in 2005. At UN conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen, Beijing, Istanbul and Rome, I helped coordinate more than 150 pro-life/pro-family groups resulting in pro-life victories in Cairo, Istanbul and Rome. I was educated at Salesian College, London, before going to Oxford where I graduated in English Language and Literature. I qualified as a teacher, becoming head of English at a secondary school. I am married to Josephine. We have a grown-up family and we live in north London.

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to SPUC's staff, supporters and advisers for their help to me in researching, writing and producing this blog.

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